! PLEASE NOTE that from 1 April humanitarian cash assistance will change.
Until now, UNHCR provided a standard amount of 10,800 UAH per person covering 3 months. From April 1, the amount will depend on the situation that a household is in. The goal remains to support those most affected in meeting their basic needs.
- People who need to leave their home close to the frontline or are evacuated can receive 12,300 per person covering 3 months.
- People who are affected by aerial attacks can receive 12,300 per person covering 3 months.
- People living near the frontline can receive 1,800 UAH per person per month. UNHCR is not providing this assistance at the moment.
- Vulnerable people who are displaced for longer than 6 months and who are eligible for the government’s IDP housing allowance but cannot access it can receive 2,000-3,000 UAH per person per month. UNHCR is not providing this assistance at the moment.
UNHCR will continue to provide assistance to vulnerable persons who returned home after they were internally displaced or after they were forced to leave Ukraine after February 24, 2022.
Who is eligible to receive unified cash transfers from UNHCR after 1 April 2026?
- persons who suffered from shelling, and their permanent housing was damaged or became uninhabitable;
- households who lost a close family member due to a missile or UAV attack;
- household whose member was hospitalized or requires treatment due to damage caused by a missile or UAV attack;
- persons who have been evacuated from areas where hostilities are (were) taking place or that are temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation;
- vulnerable persons who have been internally displaced within the last 6 months;
- vulnerable persons who were forced to leave Ukraine after February 24, 2022 and have returned to Ukraine from abroad in the last 12 months and have continuously remained in Ukraine for at least three months;
- internally displaced persons who have returned to their places of permanent residence in Ukraine in the last 12 months and have continuously remained in their location of return for at least three months.
For IDPs and returnees, an additional prioritization assessment is conducted through an interview. Humanitarian organizations prioritize people based on clear and agreed criteria, such as:
- exposure to danger or war (proximity to the front line or displacement);
- your living conditions (rural or urban);
- household size;
- household situation (for example, elderly people, people with disabilities, families with children);
- socioeconomic status of the household.
! The final decision on eligibility for cash assistance will be made after completing the full registration process, which is conducted by UNHCR’s partner, Right to Protection.
DUPLICATION. The same type of cash assistance is not given twice at the same time; humanitarian organizations coordinate to avoid duplication (receiving the same type of UCT from the same or different humanitarian organizations at the same time in a given period). Exceptions are made for situations where a household has been affected by shelling or has been evacuated. If you are unsure whether your household is eligible to receive assistance again, please contact the Right to Protection registration centers or the UNHCR hotline for further details.
! PLEASE NOTE, that a household can receive assistance from UNHCR in connection with evacuation or shelling a maximum of two times within a 12-month period.
Humanitarian cash assistance which is valid until April 1, 2026.
UNHCR is assisting vulnerable internally displaced persons, returnees and other vulnerable persons with cash assistance to enable them to meet their basic needs. UNHCR Ukraine uses vulnerability criteria to identify and assist individuals most likely to require support, helping them meet their basic needs like accommodation, food, medicine, clothing, and heating. This is to ensure that resources reach those in greatest need and those prioritized for assistance include persons who need urgent support following missile strikes or evacuation, as well as returnees and persons who are socioeconomically vulnerable or have specific protection needs.
- Eligible recipients will receive 3,600 UAH per person/per month.
- Cash assistance is provided for three months; one individual will receive 10,800 UAH for three months.
- The entire amount of 3 months of UNHCR cash assistance will be either transferred through bank or delivered through Western Union based on the preference of the head of household.
Who is eligible to be assessed for UNHCR multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA)?
Vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDP) within Ukraine in the last six months as well as vulnerable returnees after being forced or obliged to flee or leave Ukraine after February 24, 2022 in particular because of or to avoid the effects of armed conflict, who meet one of the below vulnerability and socio-economic criteria.
Socio-economic and vulnerability criteria:
Displaced internally displaced persons who have been internally displaced within the last 6 months, Returnees (returning from abroad), Internally displaced persons returnee (returning to their places of permanent residence from within Ukraine) and who meet one of the following vulnerability eligibility criteria.
- Single headed households with at least 1 child under 18 years of age or older family members (over 55 years of age);
Or/And
- Household headed by elderly person (i.e. composed of one or more individuals >55 years old or a person over 55 years of age responsible for at least one child <18 years old);
Or/And
- Households with one or more persons with specific needs (disability, and/or chronic illness);
And
- Households who neither received cash assistance from UNHCR nor from any other organization (UN agencies, and/or Humanitarian organizations) in the last three months.
And
- Eligible persons of concern should also meet socio-economic criteria earning less than 6,318 UAH per person (family member) per month.
Who is eligible for UNHCR Rapid multi-purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA)?
Rapid cash assistance targets and prioritize those persons who need urgent support following missile strikes or evacuation within the last 30 days and are included in the list from the communities.
- Suffered from shelling, and their permanent housing was damaged;
Or/And
- Whose place of residence became uninhabitable due to warfare;
Or/And
- The household remains in its usual place of residence but is unable to cope with the increased costs and potential loss of income due to a war-related event;
Or/And
- Lost a close family member;
Or/And
- A household member was hospitalised or requires treatment due to damage caused by warfare;
Or/And
- Evacuated from hromadas where a mandatory evacuation has been declared;
And
- Was included in the verified lists of evacuees or victims provided to the Fund by local authorities.
Enrolment centers.
Internally displaced persons will be interviewed by UNHCR partners in the enrolment centers to ensure that they meet the vulnerability criteria above.
Enrolment centers are located in Dnipropetrovska oblast, Donetska oblast, Zaporizka oblast, Kyivska oblast, Kirovohradska oblast, Mykolaivska oblast, Odeska oblast, Poltavska oblast, Sumska oblast, Kharkivska oblast, Khersonska oblast and Chernihivska oblast.
What type of document do I need to have to receive cash assistance from UNHCR?
Individuals that are eligible for UNHCR financial assistance need to have the following documentation during enrollment for the assistance program.
- Tax ID number;
- National passport or other ID documents to get a correct spelling of your name;
- IDP certificate (when available);
- Bank card of the focal point (i.e. registration focal person/household focal point); The bank account must be in local currency (UAH)
- Birth certificate of your children;
- Legal guardianship or other official custody document that clarifies the relationship with the children, when applicable;
- Medical report in case of disability or disease that affects your access to services, if available.